What's the Big Deal About Sportswear?

When did hoodies and sweatpants become a thing? Speaking of Style breaks down the athletic trend.

It’s no secret that for the past three to four seasons, menswear has been riding the coattails of sportswear. Everyone in menswear has jumped on the sportswear wagon. Whether you call it the Cozy Boy movement, Athleisure, or Sportscore, there seems to be no stopping the incorporation of athletic and sport elements into our clothes.

Comfort Along With Style

No one can really forecast when the whole sportswear trend will end, but there are reasons for why it has become such a mainstay in men’s fashion. The possibility of wearing something that is actually comfortable, while keeping up with the latest trends, is something that is too good to pass up for many men. If you had the choice between wearing a hard stiff pair of raw denim that has yet to be broken in, or a soft pair of comfortable joggers that still give your legs the shape a pair of jeans would; who wouldn’t choose the joggers? A comfortable hoodie,or sweatshirt? Most men have always reached for the hoodie and sweatshirt, but the difference in 2015, is that it has become the most fashionable choice as well. Add in the fact that corporate dress codes continue to loosen, sportswear looks to be more of a staple than a mainstay in 2015. This is the year where you can wear a hoodie, sweatpants, and sneakers to a wide variety of social settings (for the most part), and not look out of place.

High Fashion Elements

Another reason for sportswear and its continuing popularity is the evolution of clothing itself. Sportswear in 2015 does not mean a simple cotton hoodie, or a loose fitting t-shirt. Designers have began to elevate classic sportswear pieces with techniques that were traditionally reserved for only the runaway. We’re seeing luxurious fabrics such as lambskin being used in varsity jackets, sweatshirts being hand dyed and synthetic fabrics such as mesh, nylon, and neoprene, which were once considered cheap, are being elevated. Sportswear retains its relevance and freshness by continuing to evolve and inch closer to the world of high fashion. In 2015, the line have become so blurred, brands such as KITH NYC, Pigalle, Stampd, are all sought after brands that perfectly blend the world of high fashion and sportswear together.

Cultural label

Along with the ease of wearing one outfit, and the technicality of sportswear, one can not look past the cultural relevancy of sportswear in 2015. Being seen in it is the new cultural indicator that you know how to dress and understand what’s trending in the world of menswear. To put it simply, wearing sportswear in 2015 labels you as a style conscious male that understands what’s trending in menswear; that’s not to say it’s the reason why you should be wearing sportswear, but for some, it’s enough to wear a pair of joggers & sneakers.